Contention resolution protocol

Abstract

A method for contention resolution in a transmission system (1) is described, the system (1) having a primary station (2) and a plurality of secondary stations (3) coupled to the primary station (2). Sign-On request messages are being sent by the primary station (2) marking starts of contention periods, numbered i=0, 1, 2 . . . , and having period length Pi; whereby a number Mi of the secondary stations (3) sends a Sign-On response message to the primary station (2) in contention period i, and, after sending, waits a feedback period of length Tfb for a response from the primary station (2). If Ni denotes the number of secondary stations (3) participating at the start of contention period i; an approximation for Mi save for a possible constant factor reads: Ni. Pi−1/(Pi−1+Tfb) for i=1, 2,  (1) such that the respective period lengths Pi are determined based on said approximation for Mi. An a posteriori estimate of Ni−1, save for a possible constant factor, is given by: S ln (S/Ti−1e) with S=(Tfb+Pi−1)*R where R is the number of contention slots per time unit, and Ti−1e denotes the number of empty slots in an inspection interval having length Pi+Tfb time units.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.